Rewiring isn’t a job most people choose to do for fun – it’s usually something that gets forced, either by a switchboard upgrade uncovering bigger issues, a renovation, or a string of electrical faults that keep coming back no matter what gets patched. Here’s how to tell if you’re heading toward needing it.
1. Cloth-Insulated or Fabric-Covered Wiring
If you can see wiring with a woven fabric or cloth-like covering, rather than modern plastic insulation, that’s a strong sign your home still has original wiring from decades back. This type of insulation degrades over time and doesn’t meet current safety standards. It’s most common in homes that haven’t had significant electrical work done since they were originally built.
2. Persistent Electrical Faults That Keep Coming Back
If you’ve had the same issue fixed more than once – a circuit that keeps faulting, a switch that keeps failing, warm power points – and it keeps recurring in slightly different forms, that’s often a sign the underlying wiring is degrading rather than any single component being faulty. Patching individual symptoms only goes so far when the cause is the wiring itself.
3. Two-Pin (Ungrounded) Power Points
Modern power points have three pins, with the third being the earth connection that provides a safety path if something goes wrong. If your house still has two-pin power points anywhere, that section of the house is running on wiring that predates modern earthing standards, and it’s a genuine safety gap, not just a cosmetic difference.
4. Burning Smell, Warm Switches, or Visible Scorch Marks
Similar to the switchboard warning signs, but specifically at power points, switches, or along walls where wiring runs – these point to a wiring issue rather than a switchboard one, and are worth getting checked without delay.
5. You’re Renovating or Adding Significant New Load
If you’re renovating and opening up walls anyway, it’s often the right time to address ageing wiring rather than working around it and dealing with it again later. Similarly, if you’re adding a lot of new load to an older electrical system – a home office setup, an EV charger, ducted air conditioning – it’s worth having the existing wiring assessed rather than assuming it can handle it.
What Does Rewiring Actually Cost
Rewiring cost depends heavily on the size of the house, how accessible the ceiling and wall cavities are, and whether it’s a full rewire or a partial one covering specific problem areas. Older homes with limited roof access, or ceilings that are difficult to work in, generally take longer and cost more than a straightforward single-storey home with good access.
We don’t quote a flat figure here because the variation between properties is genuinely large – what a Federation-era home in Bunbury needs is different from a 1990s build in Australind. We assess first and give a fixed quote based on your specific house, not a generic estimate.
Does It Have to Be Done All at Once
Not always. In some cases, a partial rewire addressing the worst sections – particularly cloth-insulated circuits or areas with recurring faults – is a reasonable interim step, with the rest planned for when a renovation or other work makes it practical. We’ll give you an honest picture of what’s urgent versus what can be staged over time.
How This Connects to Your Switchboard
Rewiring and switchboard upgrades often get discussed together, since an old switchboard and old wiring frequently go hand in hand. If you’re not sure which one applies to your situation, our guide on switchboard upgrade costs is a good place to start, since a switchboard assessment often reveals whether wiring issues exist further into the house as well.
Getting an Assessment
We work across Capel, Bunbury, Eaton, Busselton, Dalyellup, Australind, Donnybrook, Boyanup, Margaret River and Peppermint Grove Beach. If any of the above sounds familiar, get in touch and we’ll assess your home properly and give you a clear picture of what’s needed and what it’ll cost.